Chapter Six

"The total number is 175, Father," Jack spoke as he seated himself.

That same day, in the office of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary's Catholic Church, Jack scheduled an appointment with Father Anthony and he was more than pleased to know Rose accompanied him. Once the two arrived, they greeted Father, a pleasant man who was a great pastor and the priest who'd given William his First Holy Communion. John was to receive his soon but this would be when he was a little older and Jack remembered John would go into preparation when he was of age. For now he was 6 and Our Lady Parish required the children be 7.

"Next year," Jack thought as he waited for Father to speak.

Rose was seated beside him and Jack kept his focus away from the engagement ring he'd given her and it pained him to realize it was the one he'd given Rachel. He didn't bother to go out and buy another and that week, the same when Mrs. Mayfield dropped his sons' to school, he'd given her the ring that Sunday. No proposal on one knee; he'd simply handed her the ring and told her to wear it. Her other ring, which belonged to Edward, was on her other finger and Jack wondered what Rose would do with it. He remembered Edward was a great friend to him but he never informed Rose how hard it'd been when he'd seen her marry him. But he'd met and married Rachel even before Rose married Edward and it was during that period, Rachel was pregnant and conceived William. And then John. He didn't wish to remember the mistake he'd made in marrying her when Father Anthony stirred him from his memories.

"175 is plenty to fill the church, Mr. Dawson. And you informed me Mrs. Mayfield will only have a small portion of the guests?"

"That is correct, Father." Jack replied and he spoke this in a matter of fact tone. Earlier that week, Rose informed him she'd written to her friend, asking if she would willingly be her maid of honor and she was yet to reply. Jack understood and briefly remembering how soon their marriage would be, he turned to Father as he asked.

"Father? You do understand the circumstances why we're asking for this marriage, right?"

"Yes. You wrote to me about that." Father Anthony replied. The priest was in his mid-fifties and Jack liked how his glasses displayed how gentle he was. But he also showed understanding and kindness. Something he liked about Father Anthony because Jack felt relaxed if he ever needed a piece of spiritual advice. Jack sighed when he felt Mrs. Mayfield's eyes on him. He was yet to tell her why he was marrying her on such urgent matters but he didn't want to tell her that now. Pushing down the temptation to look to her, he asked Father another question.

"The date for the wedding is already on the calendar?"

"Yes. The date is June 15th of this year. It's marked on the calendar. It's very generous of you to marry Mrs. Mayfield due to…" Father Anthony paused when he met Mrs. Mayfield's eyes. Jack knew he was speaking about how she was one of the survivors of the Unsinkable and he didn't bother to brace this subject with her. Since the world heard about the tragedy, there was a non-stop talk about how it happened and who was responsible and even though it was the beginning of May, the world wasn't at an end for the Titanic's mark on the world. Jack could calculate how many of his business employees spoke on and on about it and what was being done.

"Not to mention how Margaret Brown was heralded a heroine." He remembered hearing one of his colleges mention.

Jack been tempted to place his head in his hands and run them through his hair but he pushed that aside when Father Anthony continued.

"Then we should expect the wedding to take place on the 15th of June, sir. Is there anything else I can speak with you and Mrs. Mayfield about?"

Jack as well as Rose turned and stared at each other. For a moment: Jack remembered how beautiful Rose was and his heart beat. But he kept this in when he shook his head as he replied.

"No, Father. I that is all."

"Then with my blessing, I wish you both a very fine week and we all anticipate the happy day when God will join the two of you as one." Father Anthony spoke as he Rose.

"Thank you, Father," Jack answered and he held his hand out.

After the two shook hands, Jack waited by the door for Mrs. Mayfield to thank the pastor too. He knew he was needed in the city and he glanced at his watch. Sometimes he knew women talked at length but he was needed and his appointment was starting to grow on him. When he glanced up, he nearly bumped into Rose when she stood beside him as she asked.

"Ready?"

"Yes." He answered and he opened the door for her.

After Father passed behind them, nodding his final farewell until later, Jack made the move to return outside but then Rose's voice made him pause.

"Wait, Mr. Dawson! Would it possible if I could go into the Adoration Chapel for a moment? It's been some time since I've been there."

Jack paused and turning to Rose, he stared into her eyes and he noticed something he'd hadn't seen for a long time. He nodded and gestured for her to make her way into the Chapel, which was a part of Our Lady of the Rosary's Parish, as he answered.

"You may. I have an appointment but I will ask Albert to drive you home after I'm back at the office."

"Alright. Thank you." Rose answered and Jack watched as she reached into her cloak, before she retrieved her mantilla. It was one of the lovely ones worn for the season and as the white draped over her hair, Jack's breath caught. Once this took place, Rose turned and made her way towards the Adoration Chapel. He watched her leave and then the door to the Chapel closed behind her. He felt his heart beat when he turned and felt a twinge of guilt when he stepped out into the afternoon light. He never informed anyone about the mistake he'd made when he married Rachel and she wasn't Catholic. He regretted this greatly when he placed his hat on his head and walked down the steps. Their family's butler turned and narrowed his eyes on him as he asked.

"Sir? To the office?"

"Yes, would you? My appointment is in twenty minutes."

"On it, sir." Albert answered and once Jack closed the door, the butler drove the two away and soon entered the main road. Yet when Jack turned around, his heart beat when he remembered Rose and how she appeared when she wore the mantilla. The image of her beauty remained in him throughout the day.

"Mrs. Mayfield? You don't appear to be looking too great. Is it the stress of the wedding?" Heather asked.

Sometime later, after Rose returned to Mr. Dawson's, she found she was struggling to see clearly. Was it due to what she'd eaten or was it something else? Earlier that morning a feeling of nausea hit her. A pleasant visit with Our Lord in Eucharistic Adoration soothed her but when she'd left, she felt fatigued and the nauseating feeling returned. She was thankful she managed to keep it in but after she arrived, the world blurred for a moment. She found herself standing in the living room of the mansion and she heard Heather ask if she was alright.

Inhaling, Rose answered.

"I believe so. Thank you, Heather. I do need to check the list of how many of my relatives will be in attendance though. Has the mail arrived yet? I'm yet to know if Pricilla replied."

"It should be arriving the same time the boys' will be picked up." Heather answered and the maid walked past Rose. The maid was carrying a basket of laundry and Rose didn't wish to disturb her. Instead, she made her way towards Jack's private study where she sat down and took out the paper she'd written for her wedding party. Most of her relatives were out of state and narrowing her eyes, Rose read the last names and counted how many she'd listed.

"Most I hope will be there." She thought to herself as she scanned the list.

"I'm a bit disappointed Uncle Williams won't be in attendance but the rest will be!"

Then she reached out and taking hold of the quill, Rose wrote down a few more additions to her guest list. Remembering from her previous marriage most of her family were out of state, this was a more soothing grace for them to attend. Compared to her last wedding, Edward's relatives were most who filled the church. It felt peculiar to be writing their names again for a second marriage. Rose paused at one point when the memory of her first wedding Mass surfaced. It had taken place in England and she and Edward chose to honeymoon on the Titanic and would journey on to her hometown after staying with the Dawsons' for two weeks.

"That all changed when…" Rose thought and she tightened her hold on the quill. Choosing to continue with her final guests, she wrote them down before she drew back and rolled her shoulders. Once she returned the quill, she raised the paper to eye level and re-read what she'd written. Satisfied, she nodded before she stood. Then the butler, Jack, opened the door and when Rose glanced up, she heard him speak.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Mayfield?"

"Yes?"

"The mail's been delivered and there's an envelope addressed to you."

"Thank you, Jack. Heather informed me it would arrive the same time the boys' were to be home?"

"Doesn't seem to be the circumstance, Mrs. Mayfield. It's out on the table in the main lobby."

"Thank you." Rose answered before she made her way out. The afternoon sunlight glowed through the windows as Rose made her way back to the main lobby. The manor of the Dawsons' was one she'd been in but she never imagined she would become mistress! She felt the engagement ring on her left finger as she stepped over towards the table. Yes, as Jack informed her, there was a letter addressed to her and her name was written on it. Hoping it was from Pricilla a friend of hers out of state, Rose opened it excitedly but then her eyes widened at what was composed.

"The Mouse King knows you're hiding the treasure.

Deadly results will follow if you don't place an envelope of $1,000 by the door of the Dawson's front door by midnight today."

The sender's name was not at the bottom and Rose's immediate thought was to toss it into the fire. But she scanned it and thought it was a prank. Remembering Jack would be home and he would pick his sons' up, Rose thought against following the sender's demands and speak to Jack about this. Glancing over at the table, she noticed this was the only envelope addressed to her and the rest were for Jack. But when she re-read the letter, she realized it was a threat. She thought for a moment when the sender wrote "The Mouse King".

"The Mouse King is a fictional villain from E.T.A. Hoffman's The Nutcracker," Rose thought as she stared at the sentence. Then she read the sender's handwriting was firm and little harsh. Reading what was written, Rose peered over out of the windows as a few of the servants passed. She hid the letter underneath when she thought.

"Place $1,000 at the front door? This is blackmail!" But what seemed to pull her in was the sender wrote "The Mouse King." And he knows she's hiding a treasure?

"I'm going to speak about this with Jack." Rose thought as she turned and made her way upstairs. She held the blackmailer's letter and hid it in her drawer when she stepped inside her room. Thankful she'd jolted the last wedding guests for their marriage, which would be in 5 weeks, Rose scanned the guest bedroom. Before she prepared for the boys' return, her thought was.

"In 5 weeks, I will no longer be sleeping here. I'll be sleeping beside Jack."

She shuddered a little when she walked over and rang the bell. She longed to soak in a soothing bath and put aside the blackmailer's letter with the title "Mouse King".

"And who would desire that much money to be out before midnight?" Another thought entered as Rose watched as the maids arrived with the supplies for her bath. Placing her hands on her hips, she wondered who would demand that much before midnight. When the water started to pour into the tub, Rose's thoughts continued to spin around the blackmailer's demands.

"I'm engaged to be married and this sender demands this much from me? I don't have a paycheck and I'm sure Jack wouldn't bother to hand me his!"

"Mrs. Mayfield? Would you like anything else in the water?" Heather asked.

Stirred from her thoughts, Rose turned and answered.

"No, thank you, Heather. It looks fine. Thank you. Do inform Mr. Dawson I will be at supper when I'm finished. And also tell him there's something which I need to speak about him with when he has time."

"It shall be done, Mrs. Mayfield."

"Thank you," Rose answered.

Soon: she eased herself in the warm water and closing her eyes, she prayed Jack would be understanding when she braced to him the subject of the blackmailer's demands. As the afternoon progressed into evening, all Rose thought about was the change she was adjusting to. First the Titanic was lost, she writes to Uncle Williams, wondering if she could travel and stay with him, then he writes back, instructing Jack to marry her…

"Not to add Jack lost Rachel not too long ago." Rose added as she opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. The candlelight in the room was comforting but Rose was piecing together the events which found her in this moment.

Moving her eyes over towards the window, she noticed the sun's rays shining through as she thought.

"Who demands that much before midnight? And who is the Mouse King?"